The Habit of Isolation
by Animetomangaotaku
Summary: It's not that Iceland particularly wants to be isolated, he just doesn't know any other way to live.


Iceland watched with tearful eyes as Sweden argued loudly with Denmark. The shouting seemingly rattled the large household that the 5 Nordics had built together on Danish territory. Iceland remembered happier times, when the Kalmar Union had just been created. How Sweden would allow Iceland to build little birdhouses with him, how Finland would play with Ice outside when the snow fell and how Norway and Denmark read the funniest bedtime stories, Denmark even imitating the character's voices perfectly. But all things come to an end, Sweden started arguing with Denmark over everything, not their usual light hearted teasing but full scale screaming. Norway would always try to break up the fighting but in the end he just got drawn into it. Finland would watch with glassy eyes as he pressed both palms on Iceland's ears to prevent the child from hearing the choice swear words that were screeched.

* * *

Iceland watches them go one by one. First is Sweden and Finland. The two leave in the middle of the night. Iceland hears them scurry away, from his room and he cries softly because he knows they won't be coming back. Norway and Denmark are very upset in the morning. For a little bit, things get better in the house. Denmark has no one to argue with since Sweden is gone, and happiness wafts throughout the air. But it happens again. Norway and Denmark fight. They scream, yell and insult one another.

* * *

Norway leaves too. He tries to take Iceland with him but Denmark won't let him so he looks Iceland in the eyes and promises he'll come back for the child. Then he like Finland and Sweden is gone. He never comes back. After that Iceland is alone. He still has Denmark, but the Dane is never home, always busy with his country. At first the loneliness is choking, it is like there is no one in the world but himself. But after awhile the loneliness becomes a part of Iceland. He stops talking as much, even when there is someone to talk to, stops smiling as much, since there is no one there to see it, and stops particularly caring. Iceland grows physically as well, he turns from a toddler to a teen in mere years.

* * *

Iceland suffers in silence. Famine's clutch their evil hands onto his land but not once does Iceland complain. Not about the empty pang of his stomach. Not about the dizzying headaches. Not about the burning fevers. Denmark frets over him whenever he is home but Iceland who is used to silence and solitude finds it more bothersome than reassuring. The island nation not only lives in loneliness but suffers in it as well.

* * *

Iceland's independence is a bitter one. Denmark is heartbroken when the last member of his once large family breaks off from him, Iceland feels a little guilty but not enough to regret his freedom. He also starts attending world meetings. The other Nordics cling to him, after not seeing him for decades they seem frantic to catch up with all that they've missed. Norway especially. But Iceland, who has lived alone for so long only finds this troublesome and annoying.

* * *

Iceland diligently attends world meetings as well as Nordic meetings but, he never really puts his all into either. Honestly it isn't like anything actually happens in them. He meets some friends but he still prefers being alone. Some times the Nordics will ask what it is like being isolated, but Iceland tells them he rather likes it. Not being bothered. Solitude. The only nation particularly close geographically to him is England, and the Brit leaves Iceland alone after getting his arse kicked in the Cod Wars.

* * *

Some nations ask Iceland why he is such a loner, why he doesn't talk much. Russia, who's been helping out with the Icelandic economic crisis, tells him that he seems very "closed off from the world, da?" But the truth is that Iceland doesn't enjoy being like this, it's just the way he's grown up. Habits are hard to break, especially ones that are decades old.

* * *

**Just my take on how Iceland truly feels about his isolation! I really want to visit Iceland (the land mass)...maybe that's why all my recent one-shots seem to be about him. There is some historic facts scattered here and there, but most of it is from my imagination so please don't use this as a reference to a history paper!  
Disclaimer: You have no idea how much I _wish _I owned Hetalia, but sadly I don't!**


End file.
